Improved fruit-jar



W. HICKS.

Fruit- Jar.

n, PETERS "lam-Lithographe wanin n, c.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLET HICKS, on TRENTON, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVED FRUlT-J AR.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 37,962, dated March 24, 1863.

T0 aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLET HICKS, of the city of Trenton, county of. Mercer, and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Process of Sealing Preserving Cans, Jars, and Bottles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in supplying the cork for closing the mouth of the can, jar, or bottle with washers above and below, as represented in Figure 1, letter a, through the centers of which passes the standard or post I) through the eye, at the top of which passes the cross-bar c, the ends of which, resting on the sides of the mouth of the jar a, prevent the cork or stopper from sinking into the mouth of the jar by the pressure of the atmosphere.

The manner of using the improvedstopper or cork is: First, prepare and put the fruit or other material to be preserved into the jar hot, in the usual way. Then, having the crossbar 0 placed through the eye of the standard or center post, place the cork in the mouth of the vessel and press it down until the upper edge of the eye presses tightly upon the seat or indentation in the middle of the cross-bar, the ends of which are thus made to bear firmly upon the edges of the mouth of the jar, preventing the cork being forced downward any farther by the pressure of the atmosphere, (caused by the partial vacuum made by the condensation of the vapor inside the jar when cool.) Over the top of the cork or stopper is then poured a thinlayer of the cement ordinarily used for the purpose, and shown in the drawings by the red shades f f.

The advantages of myimprovement consist in its extreme simplicity, durability, adaptability to any kind of can, jar, or bottle, and the facility afforded of using alever for withdrawing the cork or stopper by first warming the wax and then placing the end or point of any instrument convenient under the crossbar, close to the center post, and, using the edge of the jar as a fulcrum, by a slight and gradually-increasing pressure raise the stopper and cement clear and clean without further preparation or trouble.

Having thus fully described my improve ment, its nature, and mode of operation, -I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The use of the washers, center post or standard, cross-bar, &c., for the purpose of preventing the cork and cement from being forcedby the pressure of the atmosphere into the body of the jar, can, or jug.

2. The use of the washers, center post, or standard wit-h eye, cross-bar, &c., for the purpose of more easily extracting the stopper from the mouth of the can or jar, substantially as herein described.

XVILLET HICKS.

Vitnesses:

WM. K. OLAPP, Jos. T. KINNEY. 

